Holiday (Book 2 and a half of the Cetra Heritage Saga)
by Quatermass
Summary: All he wanted was a nice holiday with friends. Unfortunately, with Deepground recently uncovered and the mysterious Gilgamesh issuing challenges to battles, Harry Gainsborough is going to have an eventful holiday, whether he likes it or not...
1. Foreword

**FOREWORD**

Welcome to the next interquel of the Cetra Heritage Saga. It will be a longer one than _Birthday_ , the interquel set between _Harry Potter and the Cetra Heritage_ and _Harry Gainsborough and the Philosopher's Stone_ , and it will probably have longer intervals between posted chapters, for which I have only myself to blame: I have so many active fanfics and people clamouring for updates to those, it ain't funny.

Unlike _Birthday_ , which was more of a little side-story set during Harry's eleventh birthday, this story will be somewhat more substantial, featuring many of Harry's friends, as well as Harry having a substantial twelfth birthday party at the Golden Saucer…with a duel with Rosso as well as Gilgamesh to deal with.

I'll also answer the latest reviews for the previous three fanfics at the end of the first chapter.

Anyway, now for the disclaimers. Firstly, there will be little to no bashing of the Harry Potter characters. Yes, their faults will be scrutinised, but this will be more reconstruction than deconstruction.

Secondly, there will be annotations up the wazoo. You have been warned.

Finally, the following is a fan-based work. _Final Fantasy VII_ and _Harry Potter_ are the properties of their respective owners. Please support the official release. Otherwise, well, Gilgamesh?

THAT'S RIGHT! IT IS I, THE GREAT GILGAMESH! SUPPORT THE OFFICIAL RELEASE, YOU DULLARD FANBOYS AND FANGIRLS, OR I WILL COME TO YOUR HOUSE AND SHOUT AT YOU UNTIL YOU DO SO!


	2. Chapter 1: Contemplations in Costa del

**CHAPTER 1:**

 **CONTEMPLATIONS IN COSTA DEL SOL**

It was very hot, Hermione reflected as she sipped at her cool drink. Even on another world, a sun-kissed beach resort town was still going to be hot. It was probably just as well: her parents, and to tell the truth, herself, were reassured that, despite the fact that they were on another world where magic and technology existed side by side, she had met a talking mountain lion, a bulky, red-clad man with makeup and a hammy disposition, and one of her best friend's mother figures was an alien entity who was also once a genocidal monster, there were things that were refreshingly mundane and normal.

Shortly after coming back to the Planet, Sirius Black had taken them to Costa del Sol and had bought, using gold he had changed much of his fortune to, a villa once belonging to President Shinra, the late (and unlamented) father of Rufus Shinra, whom Hermione had only met briefly. Rufus had reminded her a little of a grown-up Malfoy, albeit with less haughtiness and more of a collected nature. And he had acted politely enough, though he had to whisk Harry, along with many of those she knew from the Planet, away.

With Rufus' help with the paperwork, Sirius was, before their first day on the Planet was out, the proud owner of the Shinra villa, though he was calling it the Black Shack. Despite being called a villa, it was actually large enough to house those coming over here to the Planet on holiday quite comfortably, for which she was grateful.

Harry and the others were currently over at Midgar, the ruined city that had once towered above all others. They had recently contacted them, and told them that they had found a secret army Shinra had created: Deepground. Thankfully, Deepground were willing to work with Rufus Shinra, in case Sephiroth came back. Sephiroth seemed to inspire the same kind of dread that Voldemort's name did, though ironically, Hermione got the impression that Sirius, Jenova, and Harry, who had encountered both, considered Sephiroth scarier, even though they spoke his name with impunity. In any case, Harry and the others would be back this evening. Sirius had used Apparition to come back earlier.

The Weasley twins were off to the beach, especially once they saw some of the women strutting by wearing skimpy swimsuits. Ron, Neville and Ginny were playing with some kids in a nearby square, playing something like soccer, while Remus Lupin was supervising. Her parents had also left to see the sights, which meant that, at the moment, Hermione was alone in the house with three adults and a child. The adults were Sirius Black, Severus Snape, and Xenophilus Lovegood, with the child being Luna Lovegood, Xenophilus' daughter. Luna had also admitted to Hermione and Sirius, privately, that she was a Jenova hybrid, like Harry or Sephiroth.

Hermione didn't quite know what to make of the girl. She was strange, and kept talking about non-existent creatures. But you also got the impression of a mind that was quite strong and substantial in its own light. Indeed, Hermione was surprised to see an hour earlier the sight of Snape (albeit grudgingly) and Luna having a debate about potions ingredients and their preparation. Plus, unlike Jenova, Luna seemed harmless, perhaps being a gadfly at worst.

Hermione was currently studying the next year's texts. Not as comprehensively as the ones she had studied prior to coming to Hogwarts, but she wanted to be as ahead of the 8-Ball as possible, and she was interested in them. So it was to her surprise when the resonant, nasal tone of Snape said next to her, "A valiant effort, Miss Granger, but in many respects, a futile one."

She looked up sharply at the dark-haired man with the prominent hooked nose and generally sardonic demeanour. Unlike Hogwarts, the man was dressed in Muggle clothing: dark jeans and a dark collared shirt. He still carried the gravitas he had as a Potions Master here.

Stamping down her annoyance at his choice of words, she asked, "In what respects, Professor?"

"Your desire to show to your peers, especially my Snakes, how good you are," Snape said, bluntly. "A desire to learn academically, especially in a useful field, is never futile. But to receive acclaim from your peers is another matter entirely. To many of those in Slytherin, you will remain an uppity Muggleborn, though they would use the term Mudblood."

"Mudblood? Is…is that what they call Muggleborns?" Hermione asked, scandalised.

"Yes, and be thankful you haven't heard it yet," Snape said. "It is a vile, offensive term, equivalent to many racial slurs you've doubtless heard, and yet, many in my House would throw it around casually, because they do not give a damn about your ability and talent as a witch. All they see is an upstart, little better than livestock. One with mud coursing through their veins."

"But…that is…"

"Cruel? Offensive? Of course it is, girl!" Snape sneered. "And it is also widespread! Xenophobia exists amongst all human beings, it is not unique to wizards and witches! Look at Black! He is one of the few exceptions from his family who didn't have a similar attitude. His brother and one of his cousins were amongst the Dark Lord's servants, and another cousin is Malfoy's mother. Is it any wonder they believed he betrayed the Potters so readily? Our people merely thought he was going back to type. And once upon a time, I shared those views. As I fell into them, only one person tried to keep me out of the darkness, and I called her that vile word in a moment of anger, shattering our friendship forever. That friend was a woman you would have loved to have met, Granger. Lily Evans. Harry's mother."

Hermione noted that he didn't say 'Potter'. "You were friends with his mother?"

He nodded. "We grew up in the same town, Cokeworth. Admittedly, I was from one of the poorer parts of town, Spinner's End. I was the first to realise she was a witch. We became friends, and we went to Hogwarts in the same year. She also happened to catch the eye of… _Potter_." He spat the name out as if it was venomous. "It wasn't until after I had driven her away that she ever deigned to return any of his advances, though he at least became better at them." He glanced at Hermione. "She debatably had the finest mind of any witch of her generation, but that made her even more of a target for the Death Eaters."

"…Are you trying to scare me from doing the best I can, Professor?"

"No." Snape looked at Hermione. "I would be immensely disappointed if you didn't try your best, and indeed, that means more than verbatim regurgitation of your texts. But don't do it for recognition, at least not from your peers at Hogwarts. That is a lost cause, save for perhaps within Ravenclaw: they do admire those who achieve great things outside their House, even if they fume a little at not getting you there. Do it for yourself, and if you still wish to be recognised after you leave Hogwarts, then be prepared to fight for it every step of the way. Blood means more than talent in our world, I am sorry to say."

It was a harsh truth. But Hermione was grateful Snape had been so frank. Eventually, she asked, rather tentatively, "Sir, I'm sorry if this is rude, but I'm curious: what are you, blood status-wise?"

For a moment, she thought she had made a critical error. Snape stiffened, and seemed about to rebuke her angrily, before he calmed himself. "It was rude, Granger, but if it will satisfy your curiosity, I am a Halfblood, like Harry. However, whereas Harry had a Muggleborn mother and a Pureblood father, I had a Pureblood mother…and a Muggle father. And they didn't get on well."

The last had the air of considerable understatement, and Hermione said, "I'm sorry to hear that, sir."

"Your sentiment is automatic, but appreciated all the same," Snape said. "Actually, I used to call myself by the _nom de plume_ of the Half-Blood Prince. Eileen Prince was my mother's name. Because of my blood, and because I came from a poor background, I had to fight my way to get where I am now. And even then, that's not much: I have to teach a load of dunderheads. I want to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts, but that damned curse…Dumbledore doesn't want me out of his sight, you see. And if I do manage to take the position, then something fatal might happen. It did to Quirrell."

"Speaking of which, who is our next teacher?"

"Jenova's still the assistant teacher, as far as I am aware, and she is certainly adequate for the position." Hermione felt this was high praise coming from Snape. Then again, considering that Jenova could technically be classified as a Dark Creature herself, she was certainly more than qualified in many regards. "However, Dumbledore has decided to hire Gilderoy Lockhart."

Hermione's eyes widened. "The famous monster hunter? I'd read a couple of his books when I first learned about magic, and saw a couple in Flourish and Blotts'. They were really interesting."

"I'm sure they were, for a mish-mash of plagiarism and fiction," Snape remarked snidely.

"What?"

Snape sighed quietly, before saying, "Lockhart was probably the only person willing to teach this class this year. Dumbledore has noticed…irregularities. He realised that a few of Lockhart's accounts were similar to accounts he knew from a couple of personal friends. He visited them, only to find they could not remember their deeds. And he found evidence of Memory Charms. And truth be told, if you compare some of the times he claimed to perform the deeds he did, he would have had to have been in two places at once. Not completely impossible for a powerful wizard, but you would have to be on par with Dumbledore or Voldemort to do so. And I knew Lockhart when I was at school. He was some years below me, admittedly, but he was determined to make his mark. However, he was little more than a strutting narcissist. He had some small skill, but mostly geared to making himself look good."

Hermione stared at Snape. The man had effectively knocked Lockhart off a pedestal, though she did resolve to read through the books again and note down times and places. For a moment, she wondered whether Snape was having a case of sour grapes, before dismissing it. She could ask Dumbledore later. That being said, there was something to consider. "Why let him teach, then?"

"To expose him. With Jenova as an assistant, there's no fear that you won't get any education, and for all the narcissism in his books, they do have some truth to them, as they were garnered from the life experiences of other monster hunters. But I can tell you that the Homorphus Charm is only a temporary measure against werewolves(1). Wolfsbane Potion is much better, anyway."

Before Hermione could offer an opinion either way, the door to the villa opened, and Harry, Aerith, Remus, and Jenova came through. "Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, going over to him. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, except that some crazy woman wants to duel me at the Golden Saucer," Harry said.

Hermione blinked. "Wait, what?"

Jenova chuckled. "Deepground, or rather, their officers, the Tsviets. For a bunch of super-powered sociopaths, they're not too bad. Of course, one of them, Rosso the Crimson, wants to fight Harry. Not to the death: she's a bloodthirsty bitch, but she seems to understand that killing Harry might not go down well with us. They've got some interesting types there."

"So," Sirius said, coming over, "should I expect more guests?"

"Not to sleep here, but three of the Tsviets are coming to Costa del Sol. Rosso the Crimson, Azul the Cerulean, and Shelke the Transparent. Nero the Sable and Weiss the Immaculate are staying at Deepground HQ."

Snape frowned. "Are these people named after colours?"

"I think with Shelke, it was coincidence. Happy accident for Shinra, not so happy for her," Jenova said. "She's having a reunion with Shalua Rui, her sister. It was a bit bumpy at first, but Shelke's getting better after venting a little. Her attitude has gone from 'Cryogenic' to merely 'Frosty'. I think, Snape, that you and I should teach Shelke the ways of the deadpan snark."

Aerith facepalmed. "Please, Jenova, you are _not_ helping the situation."

"Why? I found that I enjoyed teaching at Hogwarts," Jenova said with a broad grin. "And I want to teach more than Defence Against the Dark Arts. They should have 'Deadpan Snarkery' as an optional course at Hogwarts. You'd do well as a teacher in that, Snape."

Snape merely said, "I would rather teach my students, if I have to teach at all, something useful."

"Ooh, see? He's a natural," Jenova said. "What about private tuition?"

"And give up the best insults in my arsenal?" Snape asked archly, apparently getting into the spirit of it.

It was at this point that Sirius came over. "I don't like that red colour on that door," he muttered. "What should I paint it?"

"I see a red door, and I want it painted black," Snape snarked.

Sirius blinked, before looking at Snape. "I can't believe it. Did you just make a Rolling Stones reference? Come on, make another one!"

Snape shrugged, and walked off. "You can't always get what you want."

Sirius and Lupin looked at each other in astonishment, before they began howling with laughter. Severus Snape, of all people, had made snarky references to the Rolling Stones! Hermione shook her head, before she remembered something. Something odd that had occurred earlier today.

"Hey, Harry," she said. "Some strange man came to the front door just before Sirius came back, gave me this scroll, and left."

"What? Did he give a name?"

"No. But I don't think he was a wizard. He was all clad in red, had makeup like…" She realised she had seen it before. "A bit like Kabuki makeup. You know, Japanese theatre. He also had a lot of swords."

Harry, after the scroll was checked over by Sirius and Remus for any traps, opened it up. In bold crimson letters, a message was writ, along with a time and date:

 **THIS IS AN INVITATION, AND A CHALLENGE TO ONE HARRY GAINSBOROUGH, FORMERLY HARRY JAMES POTTER! I CHALLENGE YOU TO A DUEL AT THE GOLDEN SAUCER'S BATTLE SQUARE! DO NOT FRET, FOR YOUR FRIENDS WORTHY OF CHALLENGE AND THOSE OF DEEPGROUND HAVE ALSO BEEN GIVEN INVITATIONS TO FIGHT!**

 **FROM THE GREAT AND MAGNIFICENT GILGAMESH!**

Harry blinked as he looked at the invitation. Quietly, he muttered, "What fresh hell is this?"

 **CHAPTER 1 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, the first chapter of** ** _Holiday_** **. With Snape being a mentor, of all things, to Hermione. Of course, canon Snape would probably not have done this, but my Snape is actually beginning to give a shit about others, and while he is not impressed with Hermione's verbatim regurgitation of facts, he sees a little of Lily in her (not in** ** _that_** **way, obviously), and is trying to let her know how much of a struggle she will have.**

 **Review-answering time, for the prior instalment of the series.** **Mangahero18** **: I also liked** ** _Final Fantasy X-2_** **, believe it or not. Not that much, but it was enjoyable enough. Deadpool will not be making an appearance…we hope. We have enough madcap fourth wall-breaking with Gilgamesh and Luna…**

 **Kira Akuma** **: I don't think I can justify Kefka coming in, as much as I enjoy Kefka as a character. At least Gilgamesh has been doing the dimensional walk thing since at least** ** _Final Fantasy VIII_** **(before all the remakes and ports, anyway). And if I ever get to the events of** ** _Advent Children_** **(it's still looking pretty dicey even getting past this particular instalment), the Terrible Trio will make an appearance…but while they will be calling Jenova 'mother', they will also view her as a traitor, along with Luna and Harry.**

 **Zane Tribal Tyne Alexandros** **: Harry got a new wand shortly afterwards. The phoenix feather core was salvaged, but it needed a new casing, courtesy of Ollivander. I'm not ready to think about the details, though. As for Voldemort being a walking contradiction, keep in mind that he doesn't give a damn about anyone but himself, and I wanted to explore his motives. While he is disgusted by Muggles, he also treats Purebloods with contempt in canon. Indeed, the only person he seems to care for is Bellatrix, and it's not love (though I would say that it is some affection). Therefore, I decided he is consciously a hypocrite, only desiring his own supremacy, and using blood-purity doctrine to get his way. As for what weapons Harry and the others get in the future, well, for anyone other than Harry, I haven't decided. Harry still has Reno's electro-rod.**

 **1\. Most fanfics claim that the Homorphus Charm isn't real. I have read at least one fanfic (can't recall which one exactly) where it is real, but it is both extremely painful to the werewolf, and decreases in usefulness the more times it is used. The Harry Potter Wiki states that it's unknown whether it is a real charm, though given that Lockhart takes experiences of other people for his own reputation, it's perfectly possible that it is a real spell. Therefore, I'm assuming the spell is real, has the properties mentioned above, and Lockhart doesn't really know what the hell he is talking about.**


	3. Chapter 2: The Feeling of the Sun on

**CHAPTER 2:**

 **THE FEELING OF THE SUN ON YOUR SKIN**

Rosso the Crimson was a woman of few ambitions and dreams. She wished to defeat the most powerful of enemies and remain unbeaten. She wanted to face opponents with fire in their hearts.

But she also had smaller ambitions, like feeling the sun and the rain on her skin once more. At the moment, as they travelled by helicopter to Costa del Sol, she settled for the former as it streamed through the window of the helicopter. Amongst those with her were that weakling Shelke and her sister, Shalua, along with the more interesting Cloud Strife and his paramour, Tifa Lockhart. Azul was travelling with a few others in another helicopter.

Those two in particular had the air of warriors about them. In fact, soon after she had challenged Harry, Cloud had stepped forward and challenged her to a similar fight at Battle Square. Rosso accepted the swordsman's challenge. She was impressed when Tifa had told Rosso that Cloud had, for a time, thought himself to be a member of SOLDIER, but hadn't. It was a long and complicated story, but the man certainly held himself like he was from SOLDIER. He also seemed stronger than many of those pansies. Nowhere near the level of Genesis or Angeal, but he would certainly be a challenge.

Rosso was surprised to learn that Tifa was the last known student of Zangan, the famed martial artist. The woman had fire in her eyes, and in her heart. Probably a poor match-up, sadly, given that she specialised in martial arts, while Rosso used her distinctive double-bladed gunsword (not to be confused with a gunblade: gunblades didn't shoot bullets). Still, one day, she could arrange for a duel between Tifa and a martial arts specialist in Deepground. There were none amongst the Tsviets, though if she persuaded Azul to fight unarmed and without transforming into his Behemoth form, then it might be interesting.

"How does it feel?" she asked.

"Pardon?" Cloud asked.

"To feel the sun and the rain on your face. I rarely felt it, you see, as I was rarely let out of the darkness that was Deepground. I was born in that darkness, raised in it. I was the first to also be successfully enhanced with the cells of Genesis Rhapsodos." She closed her eyes, savouring the feel of a sunbeam striking her face. "It's a novel experience. Even a pleasant one. I can see how those who live in the sun all the time take it for granted."

"I guess," Tifa said. "More than a few residents of Midgar's slums could say the same thing: they rarely saw the sun at times. It was very different to living in Nibelheim. Then again, I'm sure life in Deepground would have been very different to either."

"Of course it was, and it says something for your intelligence that you can say that with any degree of understanding, despite not having experienced Deepground."

"By the way," Cloud said, his brow furrowed in a frown, "did you know that weird guy in red who gave us those scrolls?"

"Of course not. I have never met such a buffoonish individual in my life. Then again, he wears the mask of a clown, but there is something of the warrior about him." She tapped the scroll, which currently was lying in her lap, pensively. "I've never heard of this 'Gilgamesh' before."

"I have."

The voice came from Shelke Rui, who had finished talking to her sister for the moment, and was looking at them. "Well?" Rosso asked. "If you know, then please enlighten us, Shelke."

"Professor Gast Faremis' investigations of Cetra ruins turn up legends that spoke of a man, who claimed to be an itinerant wanderer from another world, a warrior of bumbling demeanour and an obsession with stealing or appropriating swords, but surprising skill. The same name, Gilgamesh, turns up in those legends. His description matches that of the individual who gave us the scrolls. It is said he departed through a door to another world."

"He must be incredibly long lived," Shalua mused. "Or perhaps time travel was involved."

"He's an unknown," Cloud said. "He may seem harmless, but until I know otherwise, he's anything but."

"Cloud, that was the same attitude you had with Harry, remember?" Tifa rebuked gently.

"Yes, Tifa, but there are two major differences. One, Harry was a kid, and two, I was being driven insane, partly by Sephiroth, and partly by the revelation that my memories weren't real." Cloud sighed. "I couldn't blame Harry one bit if he decided to hold that against me anyway. I'm glad he doesn't."

"Cloud…what you did was bad, true. But we don't hold it against you. Sephiroth was plucking at your strings, playing you like a fiddle. Besides, we all came out of that stronger and wiser. Well, I hope we came out of it wiser."

Rosso struggled not to roll her eyes at the sentiment. Strength was what mattered, not wisdom.

"Gilgamesh should not be underestimated," Shelke said. "If he is the same entity as mentioned in the legends, then he is a seasoned warrior."

"I think we'll ask the Flamels," Cloud said quietly. "They had some knowledge of other worlds. Maybe they knew something." The Flamels were travelling in their own helicopter with Nanaki, discussing the history of the Planet with the sentient mountain lion-like creature. Cloud activated his PHS and dialled him up.

" _Yes, Cloud? It is a bit rude to interrupt a discussion_ ," Nanaki said. He wore a modified PHS in his ornamental hair clip, voice-activated.

"Sorry, Nanaki, I wanted to ask the Flamels about that Gilgamesh guy, whether they knew him or of him."

" _Well, that's serendipitous. We were discussing him. The Flamels know of him._ "

Nicholas Flamel, aka the summon being known as Ixion, spoke up, apparently close to Nanaki. " _Indeed. We never encountered him on Spira. However, my iteration in Ivalice encountered him, as did other iterations in other worlds(_ _1)_ _. He comes from yet another world, once being the minion of a powerful and diabolical warlock called Exdeath. Exdeath banished him into the Void between worlds, and ever since, he had wandered between them. While he may seem frivolous and facetious, he is still a seasoned and powerful warrior. While not actually evil, he is very much both a mercenary, and a man who is out for himself. These challenges seem more like his idea of testing his strength, I daresay. Plus, there is something of the narcissist about him._ "

"I think him calling himself the 'Great and Magnificent Gilgamesh' was a fairly big clue," Cloud remarked dryly.

Flamel chuckled, and Rosso and even Shelke got thin smiles on their faces. " _True enough_ ," the summon conceded. " _Perenelle and I will accompany Harry as his allies in this. Albus asked us to keep him safe, anyway._ "

" _He needs keeping safe_ ," came the tones of Perenelle Flamel, once known as Valefor. " _Doesn't he remind you of Yuna and Tidus, darling?_ "

" _Yes. He has the cheerfulness and energy of Tidus, and the determination and fortitude of Yuna. He would have done well on Spira. But even so, he's still young._ "

"He still has the fire of a warrior for one so young," Rosso declared. "I will enjoy testing him." She glanced at Shelke. "You could pick up some pointers, Shelke."

Shelke glared at the woman. Despite their apparent appearances, the gap between their ages was less than a decade. "Shinra's processes were flawed," Shelke said coolly. "I do what I can within my limitations. Besides, I am beyond what SOLDIER could create normally."

Rosso nodded, conceding the point. As weak as Shelke was, this was by the standards of Deepground, and the Tsviets in particular. She'd probably wipe the floor with most of those in SOLDIER. In fact, her main weakness was her lack of control over her Mako consumption: she sometimes used her reserves up at the most inconvenient times.

Rosso returned to enjoying the sensation of sunlight on her skin. She idly wondered about Weiss and Nero. Maybe they could do with some sun…

* * *

One person who was certainly indulging herself was Jenova. With Aerith looking after Harry and the others, she decided to indulge in some sunbathing. Of course, she was currently wearing a minuscule bikini that was daring, even by the standards of Costa del Sol. The silvery material covering just barely whatever was decent contrasted with her pale skin. Aerith, when she first saw Jenova wearing that, demanded that she at least wrap a towel around her before she exposed herself to Harry. Jenova acceded, a little grudgingly. But she was becoming a mother figure of sorts to the boy, so she could see Aerith's reasoning.

Sirius, of course, offered to escort her down there. And she liked the Animagus, so she allowed him to do so, once he had slathered on enough sunscreen. A year after his escape from Azkaban, and he had managed to regain his figure and was far less scruffy. He was a nice specimen of a man, something of a rogue, but she liked rogues. They tended to be more interesting than goody two-shoes. Plus, while he was superficially a lech, he was actually rather more empathic towards women than he initially let on.

The two sat down in a particular spot that Jenova chose. As she removed her towel, drawing more than a few stares, she remarked, "Maybe I should've worn a lab coat."

"Why?" Sirius asked as he removed a similar towel, revealing he was clad in little more than trunks.

"Do you know why I chose this spot? Nostalgia, of a sort," she said, laying the towel down and lying on it. "Shortly before Harry came to this world, Cloud and his intrepid gang of misfits and malcontents stowed away on a Shinra ship to track down Sephiroth. Hojo got here first, having resigned from Shinra so that he could see the Reunion in action for himself. But he spent some time sunbathing here."

"Hang on, I remember you telling me this at Harry's last birthday(2). He was still wearing his labcoat, and yet, he managed to attract a trio of bikini babes."

"With degrees," Jenova said. "They probably approached him, hoping to get on the inside track. Two of them got hired, but a third got turned into a Sephiroth Copy. Anyway, I killed Hojo and absorbed his memories, and this was one of the more pleasant ones. Actually, I didn't tell you this before, but he ended up getting a bad case of sunburn. He looked like a praying mantis with the colour of a lobster."

Sirius emitted a bark of laughter. He never actually met Hojo during that whole saga. But from what little he had heard, he was a contemptible little man who deserved his fate. Especially given what Hojo wanted to do to Harry and Aerith.

"Hey, Jenova," Sirius said quietly as they laid down on the towels, sunbathing, "just out of curiosity, are you actually shacking up with Rufus? Y'know, your relationship is about business AND pleasure?"

"That's a rather personal question, Sirius," she said with a smirk. After a brief, but suitably uncomfortable pause, she said, "But you're right. Oh, I'd be willing to have an open relationship, but would you believe that Rufus believes in monogamy? Rufus Shinra has principles, I know, big shock. Still, he's a looker, and he's surprisingly skilled in bed."

"Damn. Got beaten out by a guy who could pass as a Malfoy, only better at it," Sirius muttered. "Well, he's better than Lucius Malfoy, I'll give him that."

"Well, why not Aerith?" Jenova asked. "I know you two get along well enough."

"Aerith? But…okay, it's not a bad idea, but there's a bit of an age gap."

"Sirius, I'm thousands, if not millions, of years old at the very least. And I'm in a relationship with Rufus Shinra. If I can work around that sort of age gap, your problem is a doddle. Aerith's 24, you're…"

"32. 33 in November," Sirius said.

"There you go. Eight years. Not too bad. Then again, I reckon the werewolf would be more her type."

Sirius nodded, giving a rather tired smile. "True. I'd probably have to lock them in a room together first, though. That Shalua Rui babe was pretty hot, though. And smart, too."

"Not Rosso?"

"Oh don't get me wrong, she's very hot. But she's too much like my cousin Bella. More than you or Scarlet, even."

Jenova chuckled at the comparison, unflattering though it was. She had heard enough from Sirius about his insane cousin. "By the way, have the goblins acceded to you checking her vault?"

"It'll be done soon," Sirius said. "They couldn't start on the paperwork until after my name was cleared, and the Malfoys were launching legal action to ensure I couldn't claim it. They probably know nothing about that thing in there, though. They're probably trying to ensure I couldn't claim the money in the Black Vaults. But before we left, I heard that Gringotts won, which means we did too."

"Good. Dumbledore would like me to consume the taint within." She avoided using specific words like soul or Horcrux. "He reckons Professor Sprout would be pleased to have the Cup of Helga Hufflepuff available." She sighed, closing her eyes. "Doesn't it feel good to have the sun on your skin?"

"In moderation, yes," Sirius said.

Any further thoughts on the matter were derailed when they heard a pair of familiar voices. "Forge, I think we've died and gone to Heaven."

"Indeed, Gred, for this can only be a Goddess. We are not worthy to be in her presence."

Jenova opened an eye, and peered amusedly at Fred and George Weasley, who were on their knees, gawking at her. "What's the matter, boys? Haven't you ever seen one of your teachers in a bikini before?"

The twins looked at each other, before Fred said, "Well, no offence to your career, Jenova…"

"…but how many of our teachers would look good in a bikini?" George concluded. They had learned Jenova's actual name some time ago.

Sirius emitted another bark of laughter again, while Jenova sat up in a rather provocative pose that left little to the imagination, smirking. "You boys are rather too young…but I won't mind you looking. Just keep up the genuflecting."

The Weasley twins instantly got to their hands and knees on the hot sand, and began bowing. "All hail to Jenova, the Calamity from the Skies, and to Sir Padfoot, one of the Unholy Quartet that was the Marauders! We are not worthy to be in their divine presence!"

"You heard that, Sirius? They think you're divine," Jenova smirked.

"That's rather the opposite of what Minerva thought," Sirius said, a nostalgic smile on his face.

Jenova cackled softly, thinking of all the pranks he must have pulled off. Then again, she was looking forward to her own prank: showing up that pompous fraud Gilderoy Lockhart this year. Dumbledore had asked her to be subtle. Subtle she might be, but malicious she was too.

Even as the Weasley twins continued their bowing, she cackled softly, thinking of what she would do to Lockhart this coming year. Oh, she could have some fun. And she had some ready-made minions to do her bidding in the form of these two…

 **CHAPTER 2 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Sorry about the long wait for this chapter. I just didn't have the inspiration. But we have an insight into Rosso the Crimson, and some more Jenova. And it seems the latter has some potential acolytes when she makes Lockhart's life a misery.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Zane Tribal Tyne Alexandros** **: Regarding Kadaj and company, I don't know. As for snarking at his titles, well, Cloud's done that already.**

 **jgkitarel** **: Snape will become a mentor to both Harry and Hermione at the very least. A snarky, Kerr Avon-esque mentor, but a mentor nonetheless. Well, he pretty much already is. My version of Snape is slowly but surely becoming a better man.**

 **Lupine Horror** **: As much as I enjoy your works, I'm gonna have to nix that idea of a Shelke/Harry pairing. One, Shelke doesn't age, so that's squicky enough. Two, Shelke's in her late teens by this point, whereas Harry's still twelve, which is even more squick (I am a bit disturbed at those other pairings you've mentioned). Harry and Luna's friendship is still in its early stages, and it will be a long time before it gets to romance, but I'm keeping the pairing as such.**

 **ShadowEater666** **: Gilgamesh will be fighting one person a day. You'll see how it works out later. Thanks for your praise regarding his characterisation, though.**

 **1\. Ixion appears in** ** _Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings_** **, so it's possible he knows of Gilgamesh, hence the reference to Ivalice.**

 **2\. She told them in** ** _Birthday_** **.**


	4. Chapter 3: The Heart of Severus Snape

**CHAPTER 3:**

 **THE HEART OF SEVERUS SNAPE**

Severus Snape thought that he detested teaching. In truth, he detested teaching Potions, as passionate a subject as it had been for him. And while he wasn't at all fond of children, he found that he could tolerate them far better when holding forth on subjects other than Potions. So, later that afternoon, when the Weasley children (other than the twins) and Longbottom had returned from their sojourn, and he had their attention, along with Gainsborough, Granger, and Lovegood, he decided to give them a lesson in Defence Against the Dark Arts. Both Harry and Hermione had expressed interest in the area, the former for his upcoming duel with Rosso, and the latter because of her learning of Lockhart being a fake. So, in the courtyard of the villa (he groaned at the name Black Shack), he began an impromptu lesson.

"Given that all of you, save for Ms Weasley and Ms Lovegood, had a stuttering imbecile for a teacher who turned out to be the Dark Lord's pack mule, and that all of you will have a strutting peacock for a teacher next year, and that Professor Calamitas, or Jenova as you know her, will have to pick up the slack…I thought perhaps to do this lesson, and an impromptu test. There will be no points deducted here, as we are not in Hogwarts. However, I will not tolerate disrespect, and I expect you all to use your minds to the best of your ability…as disappointing as that may turn out to be." Taking out his wand, tapping his palm with it as if it were a cane, his dark eyes roved the 'class', before they homed in on Neville. "Longbottom. Name the three Unforgivable Curses and their effects, and with a minimum of stuttering, if you would."

Neville blanched, but eventually managed to say, "The Killing Curse, which kills a person instantly, the Imperius Curse, which allows for the controlling of someone's mind and actions, and…th-the Cruciatus C-Curse, w-w-which c-c-causes severe p-p-pain."

"I said a _minimum_ of stuttering, Longbottom, but I supposed given that it was a textbook answer, that is adequate. The Unforgivables are not on DADA curriculum until your fifth year. However, given Gainsborough's fame, as well as your association with them, it is perhaps better that you learn sooner rather than later what you have to dodge. Then again, you are already too-well acquainted with the Cruciatus Curse, Longbottom." He looked at the others. "Keep in mind that there are other spells of varying degrees of harm and lethality. Even a simple Stunner, used in the wrong time, could prove lethal, say, if someone was riding a broomstick, or climbing a ladder or stairs. But the Unforgivables are unforgivable for a reason. But the Death Eaters do not care. The Dark Lord and his followers used those curses like they were giving away candy at Halloween. They also require not just a lot of magical power, but, in the case of both the Killing Curse and the Cruciatus Curse, an overwhelming desire to see the person you are casting it on dead, or in agony. Hatred is often the fuel. These are certainly not spells I would want you to use. Using curses like these taint the soul. I speak from experience."

Silence fell over the children.

Eventually, Snape said, "Weasley!" He pointed at Ron to indicate who he meant. "Name another dark spell, but not classified as an Unforgivable!"

Ron was startled, but rallied admirably. "I have heard of Fiendfyre. My dad complained that one shady character tried to use that to burn his dark artifacts, and nearly killed himself, and the team sent to raid his home."

"Then said shady character was an imbecile and a dunderhead of the highest order. Fiendfyre is perhaps the most powerful magically-conjured fire in existence, but it has a life and will of its own, only able to be controlled by the strongest of wizards. However, there are few things that can withstand Fiendfyre. Indeed, disposing of dark artifacts is one of the accepted usages of the spell." Snape tapped the wand against his palm again. "Even so, if only you answered questions on Potions like that, you might do better in the subject, Weasley." After some thought, he then said to Hermione, "Granger! Name a spell that can be used in defence against a dark creature!"

"The Patronus Charm, sir. Used against Dementors."

"Would you care to elaborate what you know, Granger?" Snape asked, privately impressed that she knew about the Patronus already. Then again, if there was someone who knew about the spell, it would be Hermione Granger.

"The spell summons a guardian spirit, incapable of feeling despair. It is invoked by focusing on positive emotion, usually a happy memory. It can also be used to send messages, but the primary use is against Dementors. It is a difficult charm, not just because of the complexity of the spell itself, but because the effect Dementors have on one's emotions may prevent one from being able to use it. The incantation is _Expecto Patronum_."

"A textbook answer, Granger, though it is rarely mentioned that Patronuses can be used as messengers," Snape said. "The spell is a standard one amongst Aurors, especially those assigned to watch over Azkaban and the Dementors, but it is, as you said, a difficult charm to cast, especially when you're being threatened by Dementors. Four of you have already seen them, and Gainsborough has shown that, despite being capable of stopping a fully grown malevolent wizard, Dementors are another matter." A tight little smirk came upon his face briefly at that, before being replaced with a more solemn, even concerned expression. "His reaction, while rare, is not unheard of. Hopefully, that will be the last time you ever have to deal with them. In time, one of the dunderheads Dumbledore brings in may have the wit, or else deign to teach you this spell. I will demonstrate it." He waved his wand through the usual movements, and roared, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

Out of his wand, a jet of silvery light burst forth. A doe, outlined in a mist formed from that light, trotted out, and began circling the children. He was actually quite gratified to see the looks of awe and astonishment on their faces. "Wicked…" Ronald Weasley breathed.

"Actually, Weasley, if I were truly wicked, I would, in all likelihood, not be able to cast such a thing," Snape said dryly. "Wizards and witches whose souls are too tainted by darkness will have their bodies consumed alive by maggots(1). It is rare that someone like a Death Eater could cast such a spell…" Snape frowned when he saw Luna waving her own wand. "Miss Lovegood, it is unlikely that…"

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Luna cried out, interrupting him. And to Snape's astonishment, a corporeal Patronus appeared from her wand.

"…Is that a platypus(2)?" Gainsborough asked, looking curiously at the animal thus summoned.

"Were you expecting a hare(3)?" Lovegood asked.

Snape pinched the bridge of his nose, and took a couple of deep breaths. Well, it could have been worse. Gainsborough or Granger could have done it. And from what he knew of Lovegood, a platypus was a perfect summon. Given the interest of the girl and her father in cryptozoology, a platypus, which looked like some Frankenstein creature sewn together out of duck and beaver parts, was actually quite apt. Eventually, he said, "Lovegood, I would appreciate it if you attempted to do the impossible _after_ my lesson. That way, we would have a minimum of interruption."

"Sorry, sir. I just like to do a lot of impossible things."

 _You_ _ **ARE**_ _impossible_ , Snape thought wearily to himself, before rallying. "On a related note, when dealing with the after-effects of Dementor exposure, chocolate is a good remedy. It is a little known fact that while Muggle chocolate is more than adequate for exposure of many kinds, there is actually a chocolate potion that is used in the worst cases, particularly prisoners of Azkaban whose sentences are up, or have been commuted. It is also used by the Aurors who take shifts there. It is a somewhat unique potion, as many potions are actually ruined by the addition of sugar. Can anyone name one?" Only Granger put her hand up, and Snape sighed, and asked, "Granger?"

"The Wolfsbane Potion."

"Indeed. You must have studied very far ahead to know that," Snape said, actually impressed despite himself. "And it also ties into Defence Against the Dark Arts, as that is a potion a werewolf must take in order to inhibit the aggression and mental regression that occurs whenever they transform. It is taxing on the body, as they still transform, and many of the ingredients are highly unpleasant, if not poisonous."

* * *

The lesson continued, and Snape actually found that he was enjoying himself. True, it was a smaller class that he was teaching than he usually did with Potions, and, freed from the restraints of the points system, his audience was surprisingly more attentive. Not to mention that DADA was his pet subject. He would always have a passion for Potions, but that was more about his own experiments in the area. DADA, however, was something he could teach, and he railed against that reputed curse on the position.

Soon, the lesson had to end, as dinner was being prepared. The children went inside, while Snape stood in the courtyard, looking at the darkening sky, as the stars began to shine. Very different constellations to his world, he realised, and yet, strangely familiar. There was even a moon in the sky.

"You actually seemed like you were enjoying yourself."

Snape didn't turn around when he heard the voice. "That's because I was. Something of a rare occurrence, I will admit, but I did enjoy teaching them. And they didn't act like dunderheads, either."

A hand touched his own, cool and delicate. "I didn't think they would. It was nice of you to do this for them, Severus. You've changed since we first met a year ago, for Harry's birthday. And all for the better."

Snape scoffed, as he turned to face Aerith, who was smiling at him, her eyes so damnably like Lily's. "I'm not a good man, Aerith. If you saw the things I did with the Death Eaters…Merlin, even why I wanted Voldemort to spare Lily was for selfish reasons. Minerva and Lily herself made me realise that. If she had been spared, but her husband and child had been murdered…she wouldn't have come back to me willingly. I would have had to resort to the Imperius." He scoffed again. "So much for love. My heart was torn out of my chest when Lily died."

"But you realise that now, don't you?" Aerith asked quietly. "And while redemption is an ongoing process, it doesn't mean you can't be a good man. It's because you are trying to redeem yourself, and keeping on trying, that makes you a good man." She prodded him in the chest gently. "You didn't have to do this little lesson. But not only did you do so, you taught them in a manner far better than many of your Potions lessons. You didn't teach them Defence Against the Dark Arts to show off. You taught them because you care about their safety. That's proof, if any be needed, that you still have a heart." To emphasize the point, she prodded him gently in the chest again.

"Are you going to continue giving a little homily?" Snape asked archly.

"Severus…I know there is darkness in you. But I know there is light. That's why I'm giving you this homily, as you call it, and not, say, threatening you in the same way I did Don Corneo."

"Who?"

"Mob boss who used to control Wall Market back at Midgar. I thought the Turks killed him when he tried to abduct Yuffie and Elena in Wutai, but apparently he's alive and, save for being wheelchair-bound, well(4). I threatened to rip his genitals off him when we first met." This last sentence was said in a rather matter-of-fact manner with the slightest of smiles. She wasn't kidding, which was the disturbing part.

Snape looked at her, before saying, "Remind me never to anger you too much. I like my body parts intact, thank you very much."

"Don't worry, it takes a lot to do that," Aerith said sweetly. "Anyway, we'll be heading to the Golden Saucer tomorrow. The duels and battles won't be until the day after tomorrow, so you might find something there to enjoy. The hotel there is a haunted mansion, plus, there's Chocobo racing, arcade machines of all sorts, and of course, Battle Square."

"I can hardly wait," Snape said dryly, though to be fair, he doubted there was much he would enjoy at Golden Saucer. The Battle Square might be interesting, if only to see different kinds of battle magic, but even so, he wondered how much of a waste of time this sojourn would be…

 **CHAPTER 3 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Snape being a good teacher for once! Quick, look out of the windows! Has Hell frozen over? Are there flying pigs?**

 **1\. I don't think this is in the books, but it's apparently canon, according to the Harry Potter Wiki. Umbridge (in the films) was theorised to be able to make one either because her morality is dubious rather than non-existent, or (and I prefer this explanation) the Locket amplified her abilities.**

 **2\. I'm pretty sure Luna's Patronus is a platypus in one of sakurademonalchemist's stories, and I'm sure it's the** ** _Naruto_** **crossover** ** _Troubles in Time_** **.**

 **3\. A hare is Luna's canonical Patronus, but I think a platypus is better considering what she is like.**

 **4\. This is revealed in the novel** ** _Final Fantasy VII Lateral Biography Turks: The Kids Are Alright_** **.**


	5. Chapter 4: The Golden Saucer

**CHAPTER 4:**

 **THE GOLDEN SAUCER**

It was a common myth amongst Hogwarts students in general, and Gryffindor students in particular, that Snape smiling in any genuine way would cause a puppy, somewhere and somehow, to die. Usually in a very horrible manner. Given the way he was smiling after he cashed in his betting slip at the Chocobo Races, Fred and George Weasley knew that the Puppypocalypse had come somewhere in the universe(1). They even told Jenova to take a picture with her phone, which she promptly did. They had a bet with Lee Jordan to win.

Snape smiled as he accepted the elaborately constructed vial, a Megalixir with a bottle design exclusive to the Golden Saucer. It was of a Chocobo, the stopper being in the shape of the rider. "That was rather lucky," Jenova said.

"All good gambling is a combination of luck and some actual intelligent thought," Snape declared. "That, and knowing when to cut it short. Still, I have never seen such things before. What an interesting racecourse."

"Dio's something of a showman," Rufus Shinra said. "He enjoys dazzling his customers with spectacle."

"Really? I never would have guessed," Snape remarked dryly, looking around the garish colours and lights of the Chocobo Racing area. "Do you own any of these birds? I presume, like racing horses, there are rich owners."

"Three," Rufus said, "though my father bought two of those. I merely inherited them. He bought a Gold Chocobo and a Black Chocobo. I bought another Black Chocobo."

Snape nodded, interested, despite himself. "Maybe I should look into finding a way to purchasing a Chocobo for Hagrid. It'd be safer than the dragons he keeps obsessing with." The five of them were leaving the Chocobo Racing area, making for the tubes that led to other parts of the massive amusement park. "We'd better go and pick the others up at Wonder Square. Miss Gainsborough apparently obtained one of the obstacles guarding the way to the Philosopher's Stone from there. Mog House. Apparently Voldemort got immensely frustrated, as did his host."

Rufus chuckled. "I'm not surprised. I remember playing that game myself on a whim…and demanding Dio refund the 100 gil. Nearly got dropped into the Desert Prison for my troubles. Keep in mind, I was a brat at the time."

"Hmm. Remind me to introduce you to my godson. He could do with some education on how to be truly Slytherin. His parents aren't doing a good enough job. Then again, he may not listen to a Muggle."

"With Materia, I can use magic. If that's not good enough for him, then I will have to persuade him otherwise."

"With the Turks?" Jenova asked.

"Maybe," Rufus said with a smirk. It would be interesting to try and put Lucius Malfoy in his place.

Snape, as he walked to the tubes, found himself actually beginning to relax and enjoy himself. He didn't know whether it was the company, or the sheer amount of options to have fun, or just being away from Hogwarts and Spinner's End for once in his life. Or maybe it was his little Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson, where he managed to teach a bunch of the dunderheads (other than his Slytherins) and actually get them to listen and learn with little complaint. Or maybe it was the fact that, with the Dark Mark removed, he was free of at least one leash, the leash Voldemort had held.

He didn't know why. All that he knew was that he was happy. And while it was a somewhat disturbing thing to consider, he still decided to enjoy himself. Even so, he had to wonder what the others were doing…

* * *

" _DAKKA DAKKA DAKKA DAKKA! WE NEED_ _ **MOAR**_ _DAKKA!_ "

Hermione groaned to herself as Luna Lovegood, caught up in the Speed Coaster's Laser Game, spouted these syllables. It seemed like she was acting even more eccentric than usual. Then again, she was a Jenova hybrid with a very strange way of looking at the world. Who knew what was normal for her?

Still, she had to admit it was fun to both ride a roller coaster, and shoot lasers at targets. Even for a bookworm, there was something enticing about the visceral feel of both travelling at speed and shooting at moving targets.

" _DA RED WUNZ GO FASTA!_ " Luna roared. " _WAAAGH!(_ _2)_ "

* * *

Aerith winced in the Gondola. She could hear Luna's battle cry all the way from Speed Square. She had decided to take a Gondola ride with Remus Lupin. She had come to like the werewolf's company. The man was gentle, self-effacing, intelligent, and haunted by his condition.

She remembered the Gondola ride she had taken with Cloud. Nearly two years ago, now. She remembered what the spiky-haired would-be SOLDIER was like, cool and distant, but with a hidden warmth that shone through. And the contradictory elements that had Aerith realise that the real Cloud was somehow buried deep within the young man who had been sitting before her all that time ago. Before she met Harry. Before Jenova became their ally.

"I'm still finding it hard to believe I'm on another world at times," Lupin murmured. "Sometimes, it feels so different from home, and at times, it feels the same."

"Our world and yours are parallel. And keep in mind, Remus, that this is your world as well, the world of your ancestors. You will have Cetra blood in you, somewhere. But it's more than that that troubles you, isn't it?"

"A lot of things do," Lupin admitted. "Why are you being so nice to me? You know what I am."

"You are a man with a bad condition through no fault of his own. Remus, one of my best friends is a sentient mountain lion, and we met when a mad scientist tried to interbreed us. Another can shapeshift into a berserker monster, again, courtesy of the same mad scientist. My little brother is a hybrid with the same heritage as the creature that wiped out many of my people, and said creature is now our ally. A werewolf is not the strangest friend I have by any means."

Lupin smiled, albeit rather tiredly. "Maybe not to you. But to me, being a werewolf is a curse."

"I don't doubt that it is. But the key is how you and others treat it. Yes, we have to beware the werewolf. That's sane, that makes sense. But do we have to fear the man? Only if he is like the wolf he becomes, or even worse. You told me about the one who infected you, Fenrir Greyback. He is like that. But you are not a monster like him. You can't think of yourself like that."

"It's not what I think, but what others think," Lupin said.

"Well, I think you're a good man." And Aerith smiled at him, knowing he probably didn't get too many of those. "And for the moment, that's all that counts, right?"

* * *

In Ghost Square, in the Haunted Mansion Hotel, Vincent Valentine and Lucrezia Crescent were checking out. The receptionist, dressed as a zombie, asked, "Did you have a good time last night?"

Lucrezia blushed, and looked away. It was hard to tell, given the high collar on his mantle, but Vincent was blushing slightly as well. Eventually, Vincent said, "Indeed. We hadn't seen each other for years."

"Well, I think we'll have to install some additional sound-proofing to the room. I didn't think anyone could be so loud," the receptionist remarked, clearly taking some pleasure in embarrassing Vincent and Lucrezia.

… _Should've used a Silence spell_ , Vincent thought to himself. It had been a rather long and pleasure-filled night and day.

* * *

After a couple of hours spent at Wonder Square, Harry, Cloud, and Tifa made their way to Battle Square (the others being escorted to the seating in the audience area of the arena). Dio was waiting for them, as was a most extraordinary figure. Dressed in red clothes, burly, with a brutal face covered in elaborate white and red makeup, and with a variety of swords on his back, he was even more flamboyant than Dio. Then again, Dio generally walked around in little more than a posing pouch.

Jenova soon arrived, as did Barrett and Vincent. The Tsviets, Rosso, Shelke and Azul, were already waiting. Then, the man clad in red marched forward.

"Welcome, challengers! I am the Magnificent Gilgamesh! Yes, that is right, I was the one who sent you all those invitations! I…"

"Are you suicidal?" Azul asked. It was a fairly casual question asked of the boasting, strutting warrior.

This threw Gilgamesh. "Um, no. I merely wish to test myself against the greatest warriors this world has to offer! These are NOT battles to the death!"

"What a shame," Rosso purred. "While I do not wish to battle Harry to the death, you are another matter entirely. Especially as you are an affront to anyone who wishes to wear crimson! You, sir, have no taste!"

Azul chuckled. "This coming from the woman who died that fur train with the blood of her foes?"

"There is stretching the boundaries of taste, and there is having no taste at all," Rosso retorted. "You cannot look at this man's garb and not think 'eye-sore'."

"True," Shelke said.

"Hey! At least it's better than those bland bodysuit things you Tsviets have on!" Gilgamesh snapped, somewhat unwisely. "The best thing about them are those glowing Mako line thingies."

Shelke looked at her comrades, before saying, "I will annihilate him."

"Very well, Shelke," Rosso agreed, allowing Shelke in an unprecedented fit of generosity first dibs.

"None of that here," Dio warned. "Gilgamesh has payed me a lot of money to hire out this stadium for you people. And in this stadium, we go by my rules alone, chief of which, when it is person versus person, is _no killing_." Gilgamesh, looking relieved at Dio's intervention, nodded rapidly. "The first match will be an exhibition match between Rosso the Crimson, and Harry Potter…" Dio looked at his card. "The Emerald-Eyed Wonder? Gilgamesh, there's names, and then there's hyperbole!"

"Hey, don't you talk about hyperbole, Mr Socks In The Posing Pouch!" Gilgamesh retorted.

Dio, with a roll of the eyes, punched Gilgamesh in the face, and the distance the red-clad warrior flew showed that, despite being in charge of an amusement park, Dio was still a force to be reckoned with. "Anyway, after this initial match, and the contestants are given appropriate healing via Elixirs, we will move onto a tournament. The nine of you, plus Gilgamesh, will be facing each other. After each match, healing will be given via the aforementioned method. As mentioned before, these matches are not for killing each other. The matches go on until the contestants are unable to continue, or else forfeit. No crippling injuries are allowed. No usage of any substance or weapon or magic that can inhibit healing or Life magic."

After explaining more rules, Dio eventually said, "Any contestants, other than Rosso the Crimson, and Harry Potter, please leave the arena for the contestant box. Once that is over, you two may start the battle when I give the signal."

Harry and Rosso nodded, and then faced each other, Harry now holding his electro-rod at the ready. He wasn't sure he had much of a chance against someone like Rosso. But at least this was a friendly match, though how friendly was friendly when it came to a bloodthirsty psychopath?

Rosso hefted her two-bladed sword, with its gun in the middle. "Do not fear, boy. I won't kill you or cripple you. I merely wish to test if your mettle matches your resolve. You should feel honoured. Normally, none whom I challenge are allowed to walk away, or even live."

"Well, I hope to live for quite a bit longer, thanks," Harry said. Then, he realised what he could do to even up the odds. He concentrated, closing his eyes, feeling the change ripple over him. The Jenova cells enhanced him. He felt the wing erupting from his back. When his eyes opened again, his gaze was sharper, clearer. He felt stronger in body and spirit. Whether he was anywhere near the level of this brutal warrior woman, he didn't know. But he saw a shift in her eyes and posture. When she saw his transformation, something in her took him just a touch more seriously.

"Are you ready?" Dio asked, somewhat redundantly. Rosso the Crimson was always ready. And Harry? Well, under the circumstances, he was as ready as he could ever be. "Then **_fight!_** " Dio roared.

 **CHAPTER 4 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Sorry about the late chapter. Inspiration is rather thin on the ground lately with this story. In all likelihood, once I'm finally finished with** ** _Holiday_** **, I will be wrapping up the Cetra Heritage Saga, at least for the time being. I'll probably concentrate on my older-Harry AU version,** ** _The New Cetra Heritage: Imago_** **. If you haven't seen it yet, check it out.**

 **Review-answering time! I'm glad you guys like where I'm taking Snape in this story. I wanted to give him a more human dimension.**

 **Zane Tribal Tyne Alexandros** **: No, he's not called Perry.**

 **Akuma-Heika** **: Even so, no Shelke/Harry.**

 **SailorTardis** **: No, they won't be in a play.**

 **1\. A reference to a running gag in** ** _Yu-Gi-Oh! The Abridged Series_** **, where Kaiba smiling is said to have a similar effect, and the Puppypocaylpse happens when Kaiba is petrified while smiling.**

 **2\. Luna is, of course, channelling the Orks from** ** _Warhammer 40K_** **. While the RPG did exist by the time this story happens (in 1992), I dunno whether the Orks were introduced yet. Just assume it's Luna being prescient and/or crazy.**


	6. Chapter 5: The Battles Commence

**CHAPTER 5:**

 **THE BATTLES COMMENCE**

Hermione couldn't help but feel apprehension at Harry having to fight this woman, Rosso the Crimson. In the lead-up to this, Sirius had told Hermione that Rosso was all too much like his cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange, although Rosso at least had some restraint. The only thing that reassured Hermione was that Harry had faced down Sephiroth, and lived to tell the tale. And one thing that Rosso wasn't was on the level of Sephiroth.

When she saw Harry sprout a single wing from his back, and his hair turn silver, Hermione knew that Harry was taking this seriously. She had only seen Harry like this perhaps once before, when he fell off his broom in the Quidditch match during their first year. Now, she could all but feel the raw power coming from him. His posture became more controlled. And judging by the way Rosso shifted her own stance, she was taking him a little more seriously.

Once Dio gave the signal, the fight began. Hermione knew that at this point, the two were mostly feeling each other out, Rosso more than Harry given her combat experience. Hermione guessed that in terms of experience and technique, Rosso was superior, but in terms of power and probably speed, Harry was better. With his wing, he could also take the fight to three dimensions more readily than Rosso, who would have to jump. It was like a dance in a way, a choreographed series of attacks and counterstrikes.

A mistimed attack on Rosso's part sent her sprawling to the ground. She got to her feet quickly, wiping a small dribble of blood from her lips. However, she didn't seem angry at that. There was appraisal in her gaze, and perhaps even a slight tinge of respect. "I think it's time to take it up a notch," she said.

And that's when the fight began in earnest. And soon, Hermione began to realise that Harry, while not grossly outclassed, was nonetheless having to put more of an effort into his attacks and defences. Rosso was now exploiting every opening she could, the only thing she was holding back was her strength, and from landing lethal blows.

"You fight well for one so young, Harry Potter. If this was a life or death fight, and neither of us were holding back, this would be a battle to savour! But…" She swatted him into the wall with her twin-swords. "You lack polish and experience, boy."

Harry recovered swiftly, and sprang off the cracked wall at Rosso, who dodged to the side with a sneer, only to suddenly get hit with a Stunner spell from the boy's hand. She shook her head, the Stunner not managing to knock her out, while Harry sent her weapon flying with an _Expelliarmus_. Rosso, when she recovered, looked at her empty hands in astonishment. Then, a vicious grin came over her features. "Full of surprises. That's fine. So am I." Suddenly, an aura of blood-red energy surrounded her, and she dashed forward, sending Harry flying.

"What's she doing?" Hermione asked.

Rufus, who was sitting nearby, heard her, and said, "The Tsviets have special abilities, usually bestowed upon them by the processes they underwent. Rosso's is called the Bloodburst: she can enhance all her general attributes, speed, stamina, strength, sensory perception. It's draining on her reserves, though, but often, that's enough."

"What about the others?" Hermione asked.

"Shelke has technopathic ability, particularly to Synaptic Net Dive, or rather, merge her consciousness with a computer network. Her combat ability isn't as great as the other Tsviets, but she shouldn't be underestimated. Most of it is because her body remains that of a nine year old. Azul can, in extremis, turn into a beast we know as a Behemoth. Nero is known for having a strange darkness only he can control, and even that is barely. You haven't met him or his brother Weiss yet. My father had this obsession with creating monsters he could barely control. Sephiroth, Genesis, Angeal, Deepground and the Tsviets…" Rufus Shinra scoffed as he watched Harry, now on the defensive, try his best to overcome Rosso. "And of course, he had imbeciles like Hojo and Hollander in charge. It's because of his meddling I never got to know my brother."

"Your brother?" Hermione asked.

"Lazard, the man formerly in charge of SOLDIER, before that business with Genesis erupted. I later learned he was my bastard half-brother, though the real bastard was my father. My father beat my mother to death, and fathered a bastard who turned out to be one of the best execs Shinra had, until he teamed up with Genesis." Rufus looked at the _Loveless_ book in Hermione's lap, and remarked, "You would have liked Genesis. He loved _Loveless_."

Hermione nodded, though she remembered what Jenova had said about him. That, like Sephiroth, Genesis was a supersoldier created by Shinra. Harry had confided in her, though, that Genesis was trying to redeem himself after his past deed, many of which required more than a token gesture of redemption.

The battle continued for quite a surprising long time, but eventually, Harry was smashed to the ground by Rosso. After a moment, Harry rasped, "I yield."

"Then the winner of this exhibition match is Rosso the Crimson, Tsviet of Deepground!" Dio announced. He strode forward, an Elixir bottle in hand, only for Rosso to stop him, and take the bottle from him, before gently tipping the bottle into Harry's mouth.

As Harry looked up at Rosso, the Tsviet helped him to his feet. "You have a long way to go, Harry. But I haven't had a challenge like that outside the Tsviets. Grow stronger, and perhaps one day, we can battle to the death. It will be glorious."

Harry made no comment, as the things on his mind (judging by his expression) wouldn't be prudent to utter around the psychotic Tsviet. Instead, as he changed back to normal, he offered his hand to the Tsviet, who shook it. Not in the spirit of good sportsmanship, but in the recognition of a worthy opponent.

As Harry and Rosso went back to the contestant box, Dio strode out, saying, "During the exhibition match, my people have been drawing the lots for the actual tournament proper. The matches drawn are as follows."

A screen lit up with the five matches determined.

ROUND ONE: GILGAMESH VERSUS SHELKE RUI THE TRANSPARENT

ROUND TWO: ROSSO THE CRIMSON VERSUS CLOUD STRIFE

ROUND THREE: TIFA LOCKHEART VERSUS AZUL THE CERULEAN

ROUND FOUR: HARRY POTTER VERSUS VINCENT VALENTINE

ROUND FIVE: JENOVA VERSUS BARRETT WALLACE

* * *

In Deepground, Weiss, though still mostly chained to his throne, was looking up at the television monitor set up for this purpose (the feed provided by Dio, thanks to Rufus requesting it). His brother, Nero, was sitting next to him. Weiss almost pitied Nero, as the fool loved him. Weiss sneered at love. But he valued his brother's powers and devotion and dedication. And there was the fact that Nero had managed to procure a bowl of popcorn.

"Where did you get this, by the way?" Weiss said as he plucked some kernels from the bowl and chomped on them.

"The Restrictors had a secret supply," Nero said. "Naturally, I raided it. We just don't get enough opportunities to have some. What is your opinion of the coming matches, dear Weiss?"

Weiss pondered it. "Shelke is a weak fool, but by our standards more than anything. However, although he has the manner of a buffoon, this Gilgamesh, I suspect, is anything but. It would do no good to underestimate either of them. Cloud Strife may be a pretender to SOLDIER, but a man who has managed to fight Sephiroth, even at a young age, is not to be trifled with, though I daresay Rosso will prove to be one of his greatest challenges. Once Azul transforms, I am sure he will prevail against the Lockheart woman. She's a skilled martial artist, apparently, but once Azul transforms, the room she needs to manoeuvre will be taken from her. The Potter boy put on a surprisingly excellent showing against Rosso, and given what we heard Hojo did to Valentine, it'll be an interesting match. I personally think that Jenova will prevail against Barrett Wallace. She has power and centuries of experience."

"Hmm. Well, we shall see," Nero murmured. "Valentine is certainly interesting, given what Shelke found with that information from Lucrezia Crescent. _Soul wrought of terra corrupt, quelling impurity, purging the stream to beckon forth an ultimate fate. Behold mighty Chaos, Omega's squire to the lofty heavens(_ _1)_."

"It doubtless loses some of the poetry in translation, though Doctor Crescent probably did her best with what she had at hand," Weiss mused. "But enough of that. Look, little Shelke is facing that strutting crimson peacock. You know, despite her weakness, I find myself rooting for her."

"She is a Tsviet, brother. And Gilgamesh is not," Nero said simply. The brothers fell silent, ready to watch the match.

* * *

Hermione watched as Gilgamesh strutted onto the arena floor. However, although he strutted on like some peacock in crimson, Hermione noted he wasn't boasting. If anything, the way he hefted his swords in both hands suggested he was taking this seriously.

In a way, the match seemed like a horrible mismatch. Shelke had the appearance of a prepubescent girl, nine years old, if what Harry said was true. Stuck at the age at which Shinra had abducted her and experimented on her, whereas now, she was about seventeen. What a horrible thing to do, Hermione thought. However, she couldn't deny that the way Shelke hefted her rod-like weapons, which glowed like orange lightsabres, spoke of skill and experience. Even a seventeen year old shouldn't have as much fighting experience as Shelke's posture did.

Gilgamesh was large and imposing, his swords as big as his bluster. But now the bluster was gone, and Hermione knew she wouldn't want to be fighting the strange man. Not that she'd particularly want to fight Shelke, either: the girl had a cold, clinical demeanour. Not as bloodthirsty or psychopathic as Rosso, but Hermione thought that she would kill someone and not feel a thing. Not even joy, which was rather chilling.

Dio made the signal for them to begin. And despite his bulk, Gilgamesh moved swiftly. However, Shelke was faster. She leapt and danced around Gilgamesh, his blows glancing off a shield projected from her body. She managed to get in some hits.

However, Gilgamesh could and did hit harder. He had much better endurance than the Tsviet, and eventually, a good hit shattered her shield, and sent her flying into the wall. And although she made a valiant effort, she couldn't get up again.

"Shelke Rui the Transparent is unable to continue!" Dio announced. "The winner is Gilgamesh!"

As before, it was the victor who helped their vanquished opponent drink the Elixir. Shelke, however, glared at Gilgamesh, before walking back to the contestants' box.

* * *

As Cloud and Rosso went down to the arena, Harry noticed Shelke sitting down next to him. Although he hadn't known the girl for very long, and considered her more than a little cold-hearted, he realised that she was feeling distraught after her loss. The signs were subtle, but there. Her eyes blinked a little too much, and shone a little more than they should, from tears rather than her Mako infusion.

Harry shuffled over next to her in a fit of compassion. "Shelke, it's all right. It was only a friendly match."

"If it was battle, I would be dead. I am still too weak."

"To do what? Beat all opponents?"

"In Deepground, she was the weakest," Azul said in his bass rumble. "Her key strength is in infiltration and intelligence-gathering using her Synaptic Net Dive ability, not out and out battle."

"Do they have counselling in Deepground?" Tifa asked sarcastically.

Azul laughed bitterly. "They have self-service for mental weakness. They give you a gun with a single bullet in it. Of course, we Tsviets have special killswitch chips in our brainstems, so if you really couldn't take it anymore, all you had to do was attack a Restrictor."

"Charming," Barrett remarked. "So you're saying that counselling in Deepground was non-existent. Shinra paramilitary training at its best, you can't beat it."

Harry merely put an arm around Shelke's shoulders. Normally, he wouldn't have considered such a thing, but the girl had been presumably put through a hell that made even the Dursley's ministrations look tame by comparison. The girl stiffened briefly at the contact, but she seemed to accept it. "Look at it this way, Shelke, you gave him trouble," Harry said. "You got in some good hits on him, right? That's better than being knocked out by a single blow."

Shelke didn't seem at all reassured by that. Even so, as they watched Rosso and Cloud finish their warm-ups and get ready to fight, Harry got the feeling that Shelke, for all her coldness, appreciated Harry's sentiment…

 **CHAPTER 5 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Another chapter down. I'm surprised that I managed to get the inspiration for it, though it'll be some time before you guys get it, in time for the one-year anniversary of my joining this website, as well as posting the first five chapters of** ** _Harry Potter and the Cetra Heritage_** **.**

 **I don't know whether it'll be ready by the time you guys get this chapter, but I'm strongly considering starting a new Harry Potter and** ** _Final Fantasy VII_** **crossover. Although it will take many cues from the Cetra Heritage Saga, it will be a much darker work, involving an older Harry. And this time, it isn't just a rewrite of** ** _Harry Potter and the Cetra Heritage_** **. The working title is called** ** _Vert the Emerald_** **, and involves an older Harry (post-** ** _Order of the Phoenix_** **) ending up in Deepground.**

 **1\. This is a quote from** ** _Dirge of Cerberus_** **, namely the Cetra poem Lucrezia translates, referring to Chaos and Omega.**


	7. Chapter 6: Further Battles

**CHAPTER 6:**

 **FURTHER BATTLES**

To say that the fight between Rosso and Cloud was titanic was inaccurate in many regards. Both parties were holding back, if only because this was meant to be a friendly match rather than a battle to the death. And it was confined to a relatively small arena.

That being said, it was an interesting match, if only because Cloud and Rosso were roughly evenly matched. Not actually equal: Cloud favoured strength, and Rosso speed, though this was only a subtle difference in favouring, as Cloud and Rosso were both quick and strong. Rosso's style was perhaps a bit more brutal and yet flamboyant, while Cloud's was cleaner and pragmatic. Rosso liked to play with her opponent, while Cloud went for finishing strikes where he could. Even when she went into Bloodburst mode, Cloud was able to keep up.

Azul, watching the match, said to Tifa, "Your man is good. Rosso's using more of her Bloodburst ability than she did with Harry, and Cloud is matching her. I can see how you were able to fight one like Sephiroth."

"We fought him together," Tifa said. "It was a hard-won battle."

"Sephiroth was a monster, above even the monsters Deepground produced," Azul rumbled. "I would say the only one of us who could defeat Sephiroth alone would be Weiss. A shame he could not be here, as he loves battle far more than I, and that is saying something."

"He is watching us through a video feed, Azul," Shelke said quietly. "Rufus Shinra put it in place. He will not be wholly deprived of the spectacle, and neither will Nero."

Suddenly, a clash led to Cloud and Rosso sprawled on the floor simultaneously, unconscious from their respective attacks. After a moment, Dio announced, "Double knock-out! The match is a draw, and there are no winners! Therefore, Gilgamesh will fight the winner of the next round, which is Tifa Lockheart versus Azul the Cerulean!"

As Cloud and Rosso were revived and given medicine, Azul stood. "Don't fail to entertain me, Tifa Lockheart," the massive man said.

* * *

Harry watched the next match with quiet horror, as did Cloud, who had recovered. Tifa was no slouch when it came to fighting, not by any means. At first, she gave Azul trouble, because she was far more agile than he was. Not that he wasn't fast, she was just faster, using martial arts techniques to dance around him.

But then, Azul transformed. And much of the arena was now taken up by Azul's transformation, a Behemoth. And soon, Tifa was hard pressed to avoid his attacks, her main advantage hampered by a lack of room to manoeuvre.

And yet, despite the opinions of many, Tifa persevered, until a particularly hard blow sent her into a wall. For a moment, the spectators and Azul thought that was it, but just as Dio opened his mouth to call it, Tifa got to her feet, her eyes glowing with the distinctive glow of a Limit Break, before she leapt at Azul, hitting him with a series of brutal martial arts attacks. By the time she finished with her ultimate attack, the Final Heaven, Azul was unconscious. Rosso (who had recovered thanks to potions) and Shelke looked surprised. It was clear, though, that Tifa was only barely staying on her feet. Dio then said, "The winner of this round is Tifa Lockheart! She will go on to fight Gilgamesh!"

Tifa was soon treated, as was Azul, who, on transforming back, looked at Tifa thoughtfully, before he headed back. It was clear that the burly man seemed to have marked Tifa as a worthy opponent. True, it was only luck that she had managed to tap into a Limit Break, but luck had its place on the battlefield. It was overreliance on it that was potentially fatal.

Tifa sat down next to Cloud, who gave her a relieved smile. Azul sat down near Rosso. Harry, meanwhile, stood, as did Vincent, as it was their turn to fight.

* * *

Hermione frowned. She hadn't really known much about Vincent Valentine, save for what Rufus, Harry, and Jenova had told her. Apparently he had once been part of the Turks. The Turks were basically bodyguards and attendants to the executives of Shinra, though they were also known for doing espionage, assassinations, and kidnappings, unofficially, anyway. However, thanks to Professor Hojo and the woman who was his lover, Lucrezia, Vincent was now a darker figure. Not evil by any means, but he certainly looked like he had spent much of his life sleeping in a coffin…which apparently he had.

Hermione asked Lucrezia about Vincent as the two contestants made their way to the arena. Lucrezia pursed her lips, before saying, "Hojo modified his body to make it transform into a monster under stress, usually as part of a Limit Break. But because Vincent was dying despite those modifications…I grafted the essence of an entity known as Chaos onto him."

"Chaos?"

Lucrezia nodded. " _Soul wrought of terra corrupt, quelling impurity, purging the stream to beckon forth an ultimate fate. Behold mighty Chaos, Omega's squire to the lofty heavens_. Chaos is a herald to an entity known as Omega Weapon. Do you know how Jenova came to be here?"

"I think so. She used to be the guiding consciousness of another world, right?"

"Right. Her world suffered a calamity, and Jenova is presumably the result of a fusion between that guiding consciousness, and the equivalent of Omega Weapon. Think of Omega Weapon as an ark for all the lifeforce of an entire world, or what's left of it, when calamity strikes, taking it to another world to start afresh. Chaos has the rather gruesome task of ensuring no scrap of Lifestream gets left behind…by killing any living organisms left, particularly those pure of contamination."

Hermione's face scrunched up in distaste. "Charming."

"Miss Granger here is one of the top students at the school Harry is going to back on Earth," Rufus Shinra said. "I'm sure she'd find your treatises most fascinating. And definitely more palatable than almost anything Hojo could have written." He then frowned as Vincent came out into the arena, his gun nowhere in sight, even with his cloak partly concealing his holster. "Why isn't he wielding his gun?"

"Probably handicapping himself for Harry," Lucrezia mused. "Maybe he's going to use his Limit Break instead. There are special circumstances where he can trigger it consciously without needing to have one ready, so to speak. Maybe they're looking to fight, transformation against transformation. Anyway, guns are somewhat more singularly lethal. At least with swords, you can block."

Lucrezia's prediction proved spot on. As the match began, both Harry and Vincent transformed. Harry got his wing and his Sephiroth-like features, while Vincent turned into a semi-demonic winged being not unlike himself with pale skin, glowing eyes, and thick red hair that seemed almost like a growth of some kind. "Chaos…" Lucrezia whispered in awe. "Vincent must feel confident enough to control it to use it against Harry in a non-lethal duel…"

And unlike the previous fights, which were always a member of Deepground versus someone else, there was no rancour or rivalry. Rather, this was two friends sparring, trying to see which one of them was the stronger, testing and probing, but fighting in the name of sport rather than for conflict's sake.

Hermione watched the battle with widening eyes. With every battle she watched here, she realised just how powerful Harry must be just to survive against these opponents. Sure, she heard the tales of how powerful Sephiroth and the Weapons and the Jenova creatures were, but this really made things strike home. She was sure her parents were thinking the same thing.

"It's a frightening thought, isn't it?" Lucrezia asked, as if reading Hermione's thoughts. "Vincent was enhanced by the power of Chaos, and Harry by Jenova's cells. But unlike Sephiroth, he isn't insane. Sephiroth…I wish I had been allowed to raise him. I should have protested harder. Maybe then, this might not have happened. Sephiroth may not have become a monster."

Soon, the fight was over, with Harry, barely, claiming victory over Vincent. Hermione got the feeling, though, that Vincent had given Harry the win. He was a more experienced opponent, and his power could be greater than Harry's. The two combatants transformed back to normal, and shook hands.

The next battle was Barrett versus Jenova. As with Vincent, the burly dark-skinned man had changed his weapon, from the usual minigun that it had to a laser. Jenova had no weapon. She didn't need one. She transformed into her battleform, an armoured carapace that left only her head exposed, although her arms had transformed into wicked-looking blades.

When that battle began, Hermione was certain that Barrett was outmatched. Jenova moved with great speed, dodging Barrett's shots. Barrett, however, was no slouch, dodging Jenova's attacks with an alacrity most men his size didn't have. He also fought rather dirtily: still within the rules, but whatever opening he could take, he took it. It seemed that Jenova was even a little impressed at how well he managed to fight her.

However, as with Gilgamesh's fight against Shelke, Barrett was soon worn down, and even a couple of Limit Breaks didn't manage to subdue Jenova. She ended up pinning the burly man to the floor, and hissed, "Surrender."

After a moment of struggling against a woman who didn't have as many muscles as he did, and yet was managing to pin him to the floor, he reluctantly growled, "Fine."

"The winner of this match is Jenova!" Dio declared. "Jenova will face off against Harry Gainsborough! There will be a short interval before the semi-finals begin."

* * *

"All of the Deepground candidates are out of the running," Shelke said quietly. "Weiss will be disappointed." That last word had the air of a considerable understatement.

"To say the least," Rosso said. "However, Weiss cannot be disappointed with our performances, just the results. We use these battles as benchmarks of how much further we have to go to surpass them. Be thankful these defeats were in friendly spars, and not on the battlefield. Then, we'd be truly dishonoured. As it is, think of these as a wake-up call. I battled to a draw because my opponent was in many regards my equal. You lost, despite a surprisingly good effort, because Gilgamesh was both more experienced and more powerful. And Azul was just plain unlucky, as without a Limit Break, the Lockheart woman would not have won."

"Small consolation," Azul rumbled. "She hits pretty hard and fast, though. You can tell she's a student of Zangan. One of his best. We need a martial arts expert in Deepground. We need to find someone like her. What of the kid, the one you fought, Rosso?"

"An excellent fighter for his age," Rosso said without hesitation. "True, he requires more experience, and he hesitates at hurting people. But woe betide the imbecile who manages to rouse the beast within him."

"That has already happened," came the distinctive rasp of Vincent Valentine, who was standing nearby, his arms crossed. "Sephiroth and Voldemort underestimated Harry's power at their peril. He is young, but his potential is astonishing. If he ever joined SOLDIER, I would imagine his potential to be right up with Sephiroth or Genesis, especially now that he's a Jenova hybrid. The sad truth is, he needs every bit of strength he can get. The resurgence of Sephiroth is always a distinct possibility, but a more immediate concern would be Voldemort. He seems to have gotten it into his head that Harry is his nemesis, and he is a mage of no mean skill. Harry will probably have to fight, or he will die."

"Oh, he has his own nemesis already," Rosso cooed. "I've always wanted a nemesis."

"It's no laughing matter," Vincent said with a glare. "Voldemort may be weak compared to Sephiroth, but his power and the terror he caused was real enough. He murdered Harry's parents and tried to do the same to Harry over a prophecy. He killed people either because they lacked Cetra parentage, or else they opposed him. Harry's parents qualified: his father was from a well-established family that opposed Voldemort, and his mother's parents lacked the ability to use magic. You saw a warrior in him, but even if he hadn't ended up in this world, he may have been forced to become one simply because Voldemort wants him dead. And this man, apparently, has a bad habit of not dying, from what I heard."

"Well, I'm sure that would change once we Tsviets had our way with him," Rosso said with a wide grin. "If he can't die, then he will wish that he could by the time we're through with him. Nero and I are particular connoisseurs of psychological torment. I am an expert in inflicting pain of the body, and Nero, through trapping people in his darkness, is expert at tormenting the mind."

After a moment, Vincent commented, "You'd get on very well with Jenova."

"I know I will. It's rare to meet someone whose bloodlust and ability approaches my own. A shame I have not had much of a chance to speak to her yet. She did promise to use something called a Pensieve to show me her fights against Hojo and Sephiroth, as well as the part of her that still followed Sephiroth."

Vincent looked askance at her, before he said, "Sirius Black often compared you and Jenova to his cousin, one Bellatrix Lestrange. If you and Jenova are any indication, I'm not sure I want to meet her."

* * *

In Azkaban, the deranged, wild-haired Bellatrix Lestrange sneezed twice, and scowled. "Some mephitic little Mudblood's talking shit about me. I will turn him into itty little bits. And why do I get the feeling I'm never going to meet kindred spirits?"

"Stop whinin', Bella!" snarled her husband (and the guy who pimped her to Voldemort) from the next cell over.

Bellatrix subsided sulkily, and went back to reminiscing about the time she used the Cruciatus Curse on Frank Longbottom. Ah, that was a good night, making him convulse until he pissed himself…

 **CHAPTER 6 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Yep, this story's still going, believe it or not. Since the last chapter, the Cetra Heritage Saga (including this very work) actually got a TV Tropes page, courtesy of EmperorMax2019 (dunno if he has an account on this website). Thanks, EmperorMax2019!**

 **On another note, I have gotten rid of** ** _The New Cetra Heritage: Imago_** **, archiving the posted chapters in my new archive/sample chapters compilation,** ** _The Cauldron_** **. However, you may not know, but a better revamp of the Cetra Heritage,** ** _Vert the Emerald and the Cetra Heritage_** **, has been posted. I mentioned it in the previous chapter's annotations, but it's since been posted. If you haven't read it, give it a whirl. In all likelihood, though, if you're a fan of this story, you've read** ** _Vert the Emerald and the Cetra Heritage_** **.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


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